Mop-wringer.



Unire Freres Famer Fries.

FRANK lV. TOI/VNF, OF BENNINGTON, VERMONT, ASSIGNOR TO ANNA E. TOVNE, OFBENNINGTON, VERMONT.

MOP-WRlNGER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 697,223, dated April 8,1902.

Application filed August 31. 1900. Serial No. 28,636. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK W. TOWNE, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of Bennington, in the county of Bennington andState of Vermont, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMop -lVringers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention falls in that class of mopwringers in which the mop iswrung by clamping it between squeezingjaws, one of which reciprocatestoward and from the other.

The improvements consist in making one of these jaws self-accommodatingto the inequalities of the body of the mop as it is squeezed, so that ifthe mop as compressed between the jaws presents an uneven thickness tothe jaws one of them can rock or turn on a pivot, so as to equalize thepressure, and thus dry all parts of the mop alike. This is accomplishedin the manner hereinafter explained.

Another part of the invention consists in arranging the bars of one jawso that they will be opposed to the spaces between the bars of the otherjaw and in making these bars of V shape, with the sharp edges presentedtoward the mop; also, inproviding the swinging jaw with a device forsetting the accommodating jaw wideopen to receive the mop when theswinging jaw is thrown back after use.

The drawings fully explain the invention, in which- Figure 1 shows anelevation of a vertical section of the wringer, taken on the line 5c @oof Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the wringer. Fig. 3 is topplan View of the same. Fig. 4. is a diagrammatic view of a horizontalsection through the jaws and shows the relative positions and shapes ofthe bars thereof. Fig. 5 shows one of the jaws hung on a universal jointor pivot, so as to be capable of an accommodating motion in alldirections.

The frame of this wringer consists of two side pieces A A, the sides ofwhich are perforated, as seen in Fig. l. These sides are united by thefront E z' z' and have projecting hooks N on their rear edges, to whichcamclamps G are attached to engage the pail J to support the wringertherein. Each side has a depending leg,which extends down into the pail,to the bottom of which is pivoted a similar leg of the swinging jaw B,as seen at a. A lever-handle II is pivoted to the sides, as at ff, andis connected with the swinging jaw B by toggle-links L L, so that byswinging the handle forward the jaw is forced toward its companion jawD. Between the sides A A the oscillating jawD is pivoted on the center pand has a limited amount of oscillation thereon, determined in this caseby the top or bottom of the jaw striking the bars it' of the frame. Inthe case illustrated the jaw is hung on an axis of oscillation; but I donot confine myself to an axial connection, as the jaw may be hung on auniversal pivotal connection, as shown by the modification illustratedin Fig. 5. The latter construction allows the jaw to rock in alldirections about its central pivot, and it is thus able to accommodateitself to any possible inequality in the thickness of the mop which maybe presented to its action.

In the modification shown in Fig. 5 the rocking jaw D is provided on itsback side, at or near its center, with an eye 19', with which an eyebolte connects, which bolt passes through a cross-bar E of the frame A andis held firmly in place by the nut e". This, beingauniversaljoint,allows the rocking jaw D to oscillate on its center inany direction.

The jaw B has a perforate bottom plate C attached thereto, and in actionthis bottom slides under and close to the under edge of the jaw D, as inFig. 1. On its front edge is one or more hooks c, which are adapted toengage the lower edge of the jaw D whenever the bottom of that jaw isthrown forward and on the back stroke of the handle, as in the act ofreleasing the mop after a squeeze, to rook that jaw into its properposition to take in the mop when required to be wrung again. Thisposition of the accommodating jawis indicated by the dotted lines inFie. l.

In my improved wringer I have arranged the parts so that the jaw nearestthe staves of the pail is the swinging jaw and its working movement istoward the center of the pail. If the other jaw is made the swingingmember and its working movement is toward the staves from the center,the liability of IOO the squeezing action to force the jets of dirtywater over the top of the pail is much greater. Besides, experience inuse has demonstrated that the whole apparatus is much more effective ashere arranged than with a reverse arrangement. A much more effectiveaction of the rocking jaw is secured by pivoting it to a stationary partof the frame of the wriuger thanbypivotingittotheswingingjaw. When therocking jaw is also made the swinging member with which the handleconnects, all the loose or wa-bbling parts, being harnessed together andworking against an absolutely rigid jaw, work badly on account ofcramping and jamming in their action. A

The vertical bars b b and d d of the jaw possess special advantages foreffectually expressing the Water from the mop by reason of their V shapeand their alternate arrangement of bars and spaces. This V shape andarrangement of the bars of one jaw opposite the spaces between the jawsof the other jaw I regard as both new and highly useful.

I therefore claim as my invention, and desire to secure by LettersPatent, the following:

l. In a mop-wringer, the combination with a rigid frame having perforateWalls, of a rocking jaw pivoted in said frame on the side nearest thecenter of the pail, on a single center of oscillation; a swinging jawpivoted to the frame on the side toward the wall of the pail, and anoperating-handle connected with the frame having an operative connectionwith said swinging jaw, substantially as specified.

2. In a mop-wringer, the combination with a rigid frame having perforatewalls, of a rocking jaw pivoted in said frame on the side nearest thecenter of the pail, on a single center of oscillation; a swinging jawpivoted on the frame on the side toward the wall of the pail, having aperforate bottom attached thereto, and an operating-handle connectedwith the frame having an operative connection with said swinging jaw,substantially as specified.

3. The combination in a lnop-wringer of a frame, two squeezing-jawsmounted in said frame one of which is movable, both of which jaws areprovided with grid-bars having V- shaped faces and so disposed that thefaces of the bars of one jaw shall oppose the spaces between the bars ofthe other jaw, and means for actuating one of the jaws, substantially asspecified.

4. The combination in a lnop-wringer of a frame, a movablecompressing-jaw mounted in said frame and means connected therewith foractuating the same, an accommodating jaw pivoted on the frame on asingle center of oscillation, and a device intermediate said jaws andactuated by the back stroke of the compressing-jaw for setting theaccommodating jaw to its most open position to take in a mop,substantially as specified. y

5. The combination in a mop-wringer of a frame and two squeezing-jawssupported therein, one of which is pivoted on a single center ofoscillation and the other is arranged to reciprocate toward and from thefirst, both of said jaws having parallel V-shaped bars so ldisposed thatthe faces of the bars of one jaw shall oppose the spaces between thebars of the other, the reciprocating jaw being provided witha horizontalperforated plate which forms the bottom of the inclosure which receivesthe mop, and a retracting-hook connected with the reciprocating jawadapted to coperate with the bottom edge of the oscillating jaw to openthe jaws to their widest capacity on the completion of the back strokeof the reciprocating jaw, substantially as specified.

Signed by me at Bennington, Vermont, this 17th day of August, 1900.

FRANK W. TOWNE. Witnesses:

FRANKLIN SCOTT, EMILY SCOTT.

